'Why I am not a Muslim' is a rare book. It is not often that one comes
across Muslim apostates who are willing to openly share their views of
Islam. As such, Warraq does an excellent job of demystifying Islam, and
revealing it's very human origins.

Through several chapters devoted to Muhammed and the Koran, Warraq traces
the development of Islamic thought in Arabia. Contrary to the opinions of
Islamic propagandists, Warraq shows that the Koran evolved over several
centuries (just like the Bible), and is filled with contradictions,
absurdities and incomplete thoughts (again, just like the Bible). As for
Islamic tradition and practice, Warraq shows how Muhammed simply
incorporated a number of elements from Arabia's Pagan history into his
'new' religion.

But Warraq's best work is done in showing exactly how dangerous Islam
really is. Beginning with Muhammed, violence, intolerance and human rights
abuses have been part and parcel of Islam to this very day. This cannot be
ascribed to isolated Fundamentalists, Warraq explains, but is built into
the very core of the religion. Islam is Fundamentalism - it cannot be
otherwise.

This raises a thorny ethical dilemma. Freedom of religion is a part of
every civilised country. Having learned their lesson from the horrors of
the past, few First World governments are willing to legislate the practice
of religion in any way. However, what do we do when one of these religions
is antithetical to everything that Democracy stands for? Islam does not
recognise the right of any other religion to exist. Murder of apostates is
not only condoned, but encouraged by the Prophet. Women are treated
shamefully, and accorded a status far inferior to that of Muslim men. If we
are going to give Muslims the right to practise their religion free of
interference, can we not expect them to accord others the same right?

My only criticism of Warraq's book is that at times he goes into far too
much historical detail, which detracts a little from it's overall message.
There are one or two chapters which, in my view, could have been relegated
to appendices. Other than that, Warraq's book is an excellent and concise
reference for non-Muslims who wish to know more about the religion of
Islam.